Generally, the present invention relates to waste handling and processing, and, more particularly, the present invention relates to the processing of semi-solid wastes.
Many wastes are collected in a semi-solid form; that is, they are slowly flowing liquids, wastes near a transition temperature so that they are in both solid and liquid phases, or wet solids. To process these wastes invariably requires their movement from one place to another, such as from a waste collection tank to a processing tank. Normally, receiving system is designed for the nature of the wastes being transferred to it. Sometimes, however, it is not.
For example, cooking grease is often disposed of into water collection systems. The used grease is stored temporarily on the premises of a restaurant or commercial kitchen until it can be taken away. These wastes are collected in truck-mounted tanks (“grease trucks”) or in drums, and then hauled to a water treatment facility where they are added to the water collected from storm sewers and drains for processing.
Grease, particularly grease that has solidified, will clog wastewater processing equipment and halt water processing operations until the equipment can be degreased. Thus there remains a need for way to introduce the grease and similar types of wastes into the wastewater processing equipment so that they do not clog it.